Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-11-25
Fruits as Food and Medicine.


Fruits as Food and Medicine.
or all the fruits with which we are
blessed the peach is the most delicious
and digestible. There IS nothing more
palatable. wholesome and medicinal
than good ripe peaches. They should
be ripe, but not over ripe and half rot
ton; and Of this kind they may make
part Of either meal. or be eaten be-
tween meals but it is better to make
them part Of the regular meals II is a
mistaken idea that no fruit should be
eaten at breakfast 1t would be better
to eat less bacon and grease at break
last and more fruit. In the morning
there is an acd state Of the secretions
and nothing is so well calculated to
correct this as cooling, sub-acid fruit.
such rs peaches, apples. etc. Still.
most Of Us have been taught that eat
ing fruit before breakfast is highly
| dangerous. How The idea originated
do not know. but it is certainly
great error, contrary to both reason
and facts
The apple is one Of the best of fru ts.
Baked or stewed apples will generally
agree with the most delicate stomach.
and are an excellent medicine in many
cases OF sickness. Green or half-ripe
apples Stewed and sweetenei are pleas
ant to the taste, cooling. nourishing and
laxative. far superior in many cases,
to the abominable doses of salts and
oil usually given in fever and other
diseases; raw apples and dried apples
for constipat on arc better than liver
pills.
Oranges are very acceptable to most
stomachs, having all the advantages
OF the acid alluded to; but the orange
juice alone should be taken, rejecting
the pulp.
The same may be said of lemons.
pomegranates. and all that class.
Lemonade is the best DIR nix in fevers,
and when thickened with sugar is
better than syrup of squils and other
nauseoas things in many cases of
cough.
Tomatoes act on the LIVER and
bowels, and are much more pleasant
aud safe than blue mass and Liver
regulators. The juice should be used
alone, rejecting the skin.
The small seeded fruits. such as
oIackberries, figs, raspberries, currants
and strawberries. may be classel
among the best foods and medicines.
The sugar in them is nutritious, the
acid cooling and purifying. and the
seeds are laxative
We should be much the gamer If we
would look more to our orchards and
gardens for our medicines, and less to
)ur drug store. To cure fever or act
IN the kidneys, no febrifuge or q uretic
$ superior to watermelon. which NAV.
With very few except ons. be taken in
'ickness and health in almost unlimited
quantities. not only without injury. but
With positive benefit But in using
hem the water or juice should be
AIKEN. excluding the pulp the melon
houd be fresh and ripe. but not over
ipe and stale.
1t is curious, but true. that the tables
Il the day laborer in town. who does
lot own foot of land and whom the
man contemptuously declares
lives from hand TO mouth" is more
suppl ed with vegetables
nd fruit than that of the farmer in the
midst OF h broad acres The latter
ives var ETY. Of excuses for his neg
ect; and at n neighbours with his
Mouth full Of his second help OF deli
ious green peas. viii declare a garden
don't pay" and as he backs up his
late for another quarter-scction of
trawberry short-cake, will wonder
ow his host can find time to potter
nth small fruit, " regardless OF or in.
iflerent to the fact that no acre of his
arm viii yield so much good living.
nd do so much to promote his health
nd happiness. as a quarter-acre gar
en- spot, intelligently tended
Even so small an area has infinite
disabilities to be developed INTO a rich
sward when we are educated UP to
le T ght standard; that thinking which
ads us to seek less to hoard money
'r possible rainy day." than to en-
~ LIES pleasures and privileges every
ny. -fractical Farmer
Probably Had.